Manning over nostalgia, focused on football
Quarterback Peyton Manning took part in his first training camp practice with the Broncos on Thursday, calling it "another step" as he works toward returning to game action for the first time since 2010.
Manning said he is passed the emotional part of leaving the Colts and is focused solely on getting prepared for the season.
"I haven't gotten too nostalgic about it," he said. "I'm glad to be here, glad to be playing with some really good guys and coaches that I enjoy. They really made me feel welcome, and I look forward to going to work with them and trying to be the best teammate I can be. There are a lot of guys in here that you like going to work with every day, and that makes it fun."
The new rules under the collective bargaining agreement restricted practice time during the offseason workouts, so Manning is eager to capitalize on having more time to work with his new teammates during training camp.
"Every day is important, and we need to take advantage of every day," he said.
Meanwhile, coach John Fox sidestepped a question about Manning's potential playing time during preseason games.
"We've obviously discussed it. We'll discuss it more moving forward as we will every position," said Fox. "Play times... you treat each game a little bit differently. We still have a lot of work to do before that."
The buzz around Broncos camp is palpable with Manning's arrival, and along with it has come heightened expectations across the board.
"It's kind of rubbing off on everybody else," said cornerback Champ Bailey. "I've always been confident. But it does help when you have a four-time MVP as your quarterback. We just have to make sure on defense, we're doing our jobs and getting the offense the ball back."
--Former Broncos safety John Lynch spoke to the team Wednesday night after the veterans reported. "I thought he was dead-on in his message of challenging guys to be better than they ever have before," said Manning. "I really appreciated his words, and guys were excited, guys were pumped, and we'll need that enthusiasm during the season."
